I Like Him! But He Likes
by Lucianne Hope
Summary: I like him! We're friends. He doesn't even know I exist… I-I think I like him… Don't be stupid we're just friends! I'm happy just being friends! Aww, crap… I like him again… Nope, gone off him, he's not interested in me, so why should I be interested in him?


**A NaLu one-shot in modern times. Hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters**

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I like him!

We're friends.  
He doesn't even know I exist…  
I-I think I like him…  
Don't be stupid we're just friends!  
I'm happy just being friends!  
Aww, crap… I like him again…  
Nope, gone off him, he's not interested in me, so why should I be interested in him?  
Yes, I used to like him, but now, I'm happy just being his friend. It's easy. Uncomplicated.

Now here's what happened a few months ago…  
"Hey, Lucy, do… do you wanna go to this concert with me?"

Shit. I really like this guy. Again.

But it's so much worse than it ever was before, it hurts sometimes, and at other times I'm really happy. I've never been so nervous around him before. Why is this? Is it because he showed interest in me again? Why would he ask me to go with him to 'Mage Ambiance's' concert? Does he like me? Or is he playing with me? Or does he just not know? Does he think we're just friends? He probably asked as a friendly thing. Nothing romantic…

Here's where we're up to.  
He likes another girl.

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It's too easy to tell, he's not exactly subtle about it. Always following her like a little puppy. Now you're wondering why he asked me to go to the concert? Yeah? Yeah? I did too; here's my theory:  
Last resort.  
Lisanna was already going with Jet. Levy was already going with Gajeel. Juvia with Gray. Erza with Jellal. But not me. Oh no. Little old Lucy never got asked by anyone, except Natsu and only as a last resort. And I want to tell him just how much I love—like him, but… I don't want to spoil our friendship.

But Lisanna is so lucky. I wish I were her. I wish I were pretty, cute, delicate. I wish I could capture Natsu's heart as she did. But I'm not the same. I'm strong. Too tough. Rough around the edges. I can't even pretend to be cute. Oh I try, don't get me wrong. I guess I'm… well… I guess I'm not that girl.

Here he comes now, little bumfaced, oblivious—  
"—bastard sword, and I just stepped to the side and punched him in the face!" Natsu exclaims.  
"Oh, fantastic, why don't you tell us more about your greatness, squinty?" Gray asks; his voice is dripping with sarcasm. Despite myself, I can't help but smile. These guys always make me do that.  
"What was that, droopy?!" Natsu exclaims. I sigh.  
"Look, can't you refrain from destroying the guild for at least one day?" I plead.  
"Geez, Natsu, have a little respect for the people around you," Gray says, stripping down to his underwear. I seriously don't know how he does that so fast. It must be a dream for Juvia.  
"Says you! At least I have the decency to wear something!" Natsu shouts back. Gray jumps up in surprise.  
"W-well, at least I don't mean to!" Gray returned, getting into Natsu's face. Natsu accepts the challenge and head-butts him back. Honestly, I couldn't be bothered to watch the rest. Lisanna sits beside me. My heart sinks. Why is she so perfect? The worst part was, was that she had the beautiful personality to go with it.  
"I can't believe those guys," Lisanna says fondly.  
"Yeah, crazy hey?" I reply, "so childish."  
"But that's how they are, and I wouldn't have them any other way," she says with a blissful smile. This makes me angry, and fills me with despair. She looks so happy. Pretty much hanging up a sign on Natsu's shoulders saying 'Lisanna's property'. It makes me feel sour, but she's still so kind, so I feel bad for feeling bad. How backwards is this? I sigh and take out my book and start scribbling in it, writing some more on the next chapter. This is a great way to escape from the shitness of my situation. Just writing about something which I can ACTUALLY CONTROL! It's so relieving.

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I am getting carried away with my story; the characters are so entrancing; the plot is finally coming together.  
"He grabbed her by the back of her head and pulled her forward, forcing her to face herself-"  
Someone bumps me and my pen scratches across the page. My hand twitches and I turn to death glare the person to shit. Whoever did that was sooooooooooooooooo dead. Natsu stands guiltily. He backs away.  
"Sor-sorry, Lucy," he says nervously, "i-it was an accident?"  
Despite my boiling blood I can't bring myself to hurt him; but that isn't going to stop my ultimate glare of supreme death.  
"It better had be," I growl, forebodingly, "because if I find out that it wasn't…"  
He is now looking rather terrified. Ah, so satisfying.  
"Aw, be easy on him," Lisanna states, "he is just a boy."  
Why that little-  
"Bit rich? Don't you think? Giving him the benefit because of his gender?" I reply.  
"Naw," Lisanna disagrees with a grin, "we have to give them half a chance."  
Sucking up I see. Making herself look so great in front of him and me look like the troll under the bridge. She's probably not even thinking like that. Arrghh! Curses to my jealousy!  
"I suppose so," I agree, "I guess they need a fighting chance."  
She laughs and hugs me. I can't help but smile, she really was sweet. Damn, I feel even worse for thinking so meanly of her.  
"Well, I think I'm heading home," I declare, "somewhere I can write in peace."  
I smile and wink to Lisanna. She grins back.  
"I'll come with you, at least part of the way," she says, "I have to go to the shops."  
Natsu's been listening.  
"Can Happy and I come? We haven't been to the shops," he asks. And as a passing note of interest, no, he didn't mean to say 'we haven't been to the shops in ages', he seriously meant that they'd never been to the shops. Which honestly doesn't surprise me seeing as he only has the one set of clothes. This annoys me as equally as it amuses me though, sure, when it's just me be doesn't care an ounce, but when Lisanna is brought into the picture; it's a whole other story. I mentally slap myself across the face, I can't force him to like me.  
"Sure thing, it'll be fun to have someone else come along," Lisanna answers, "You wanna come Lucy?"  
This kills me to say it, but I've got to remember; I can't force him to like me.  
"No, I really should get on with my book while it's still in my head," I answer. She frowns, disappointed.  
"Okay then," she replies. We quickly say goodbyes and head off.

We walk down the road to my place. The atmosphere feels so easy between the four of us (Happy's here also); I can almost forget the pain of liking him in the joy of simply being around him. But all good things do, it soon came to an end.  
"Well, this is where I must part," I say.  
"Oh? We're here already?" Natsu asks. I'm not sure if I'm just delusional, or if he really sounds disappointed.  
"Oh," Lisanna is definitely disappointed, "you sure you don't want to come?"  
This was tearing my heart to pieces. I wanted nothing more but to go with them. But he likes Lisanna, not me, and, I CAN'T force him, it would feel wrong.  
"I can't," I answer, "I'm so close to finishing this chapter."  
She sighs in disappointment and defeat.  
"Alright then," she says reluctantly, "See you later then, Lucy."  
"Bye, Luce," Natsu adds.  
"Bye!" Happy intercedes, not being left out.  
"Bye," I answer with a smile.  
Lisanna and Natsu begin to head off. She turns to him.  
"Looks like it's just you and me," she says.  
I don't listen to Happy's objection and Lisanna's frantic amendment. All I could think about was what she said. 'Just you and me.'  
"Of course it's just you and him," I say, slightly bitterly, "It's always been just you and him."

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**Hope you liked it. Please review, favorite and follow.**

**Thanks,**

**L. Hope**


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